Patrick Roy

[edit] Biography

[edit] Montreal Canadiens

Roy started his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens, who drafted him 51st overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft from the Granby Bisons. He played for the Habs from 1985 to 1995, leading them to the 1986 Stanley Cup in his rookie season. Roy became, at only 20, the youngest player in the NHL's history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy given to the playoffs most valuable player. He also was named to the 1986 NHL All-Rookie Team.

During his years with Montreal, Roy was the unquestionable superstar and leader of a team which did not have league leading scorers (past Canadiens dynasties were led by players such as Maurice Richard, Bernard Geoffrion, Jean Beliveau, and Guy Lafleur).

In the 1993 playoffs, after the Canadiens lost their first two games to their archrival Quebec Nordiques in the first round series, a newspaper in Roy's hometown district suggested that he be traded. Nordiques goaltending coach Dan Bouchard also proclaimed that his team had solved Roy. These comments seemed to fire up Roy, who responded by winning the next four games against the Nordiques, sweeping the Buffalo Sabres in the next round, and winning the first three against the New York Islanders to complete an eleven postseason game winning streak. Roy set a record during the postseason with 10 straight overtime wins and won the Stanley Cup and once again was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.

In 1994, the Canadiens were the defending champions but they were knocked out in the first round by the Boston Bruins. Nonetheless, that seven game series was notable in the eyes of Montreal fans as Roy came down with appendicitis and missed game three. He convinced doctors to let him return for Game Four and led the Canadiens to a 5-2 victory, stopping 39 shots[1].

[edit] The Tremblay Incident/Le Trade

On December 2, 1995 Montreal's head coach Mario Tremblay elected to keep Roy in the goal until he let in 9 goals on 26 shots during an 11-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings[2]. This was the last straw for Roy in what was already a contentious relationship with the rookie head coach. Friction between the two dated back to Roy's rookie year, when Tremblay, then a Canadiens broadcaster, would needle the young Quebecer on his broken English and was critical of Roy through much of his career. The two had almost come to blows in a Long Island coffee shop before Tremblay was announced as a coach and his first appearance in the dressing room was greeted with snickers from Roy. They almost fought a second time after Tremblay fired a shot at Roy's throat during practice.

When Roy was replaced midway through the second period, as he was storming off the ice, Roy could be seen on-camera[3] telling Habs team President Ronald Corey that this was the last game he would ever play for Montreal, later elaborating by saying that he would not play for Montreal as long as Tremblay was coach. Three days after the incident, he was traded to Colorado along with Montreal captain Mike Keane in exchange for Jocelyn Thibault, Martin Rucinsky, and Andrei Kovalenko, which is known in Montreal as "Le Trade."[4] Roy's relationship with the Canadiens remains strained to this day. However, the Canadiens have not issued Roy's old #33 jersey since he left the team.

In the 12 seasons since Le Trade, the Canadiens have won three playoff series (1998 vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins, and 2002 and 2004 vs. the Boston Bruins), but have yet to make it past the second round. Montreal Gazette columnist Jack Todd, in a nod to other teams that have struggled since making odd personnel decisions, has written numerous times that the Canadiens are under "The Curse of St. Patrick." Indeed, the swap turned out to be, in hindsight, one of the most one-sided deals in NHL history. In 2004, ESPN called Roy's trade to Colorado a steal, and one of the worst moves ever made during the first 25 years of ESPN's existence.

[edit] Colorado Avalanche

The same season he was traded to the Avalanche, Roy helped lead them to their first Stanley Cup. He played for Colorado until his retirement in 2003, adding another Cup and capturing a record third Conn Smythe Trophy in 2001.

At the press conference to announce his retirement, Roy was asked by a reporter which NHL player he feared the most when playing. Roy replied that there was no one he feared when playing.

His final game was played against the Minnesota Wild on April 22, 2003, in a game seven overtime loss in the quarterfinals of the NHL playoffs.

[edit] Career accomplishments

In 1989, 1990, and 1992 Roy won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender. He won the Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) in 1987, 1988, 1989 (all shared with Brian Hayward), 1992, and 2002. He led the league in shutouts and goals against average twice, was named a First Team All-Star four times, a Second Team All-Star twice, and played in eleven All-Star games. Roy has also won three Conn Smythe Trophies as NHL Playoff MVP (1986, 1993, and 2001).

Among the many goaltending NHL records Roy holds are career wins (551), career games played (1029), career playoff wins (151), and career playoff games played (247).

The Avalanche retired Roy's #33 jersey on 28 October 2003. While no Canadiens player has worn #33 since Roy's departure (as of 2006), the Canadiens have not retired the number, nor announced any intention to do so.

Patrick Roy was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006, in his first year of eligibility.

[edit] Statistics

Season   Team                        Lge    GP   Min   GA  EN SO   GAA   W   L   T   Svs    Pct
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1982-83  Granby Bisons               QMJHL  54  2808  293   3  0  6.26   0   0   0     0  0.000
1983-84  Granby Bisons               QMJHL  61  3585  265   4  0  4.44   0   0   0     0  0.000
1984-85  Granby Bisons               QMJHL  44  2463  228   3  0  5.55  16  25   1     0  0.000
1984-85  Sherbrooke Canadiens        AHL     1    60    4   0  0  4.00   1   0   0    23  0.852
1984-85  Montreal Canadiens          NHL     1    20    0   0  0  0.00   1   0   0     2  1.000
1986-87  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    46  2686  131   6  1  2.93  22  16   6  1073  0.891
1987-88  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    45  2586  125   0  3  2.90  23  12   9  1123  0.900
1988-89  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    48  2744  113   2  4  2.47  33   5   6  1113  0.908
1989-90  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    54  3173  134   2  3  2.53  31  16   5  1390  0.912
1990-91  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    48  2835  128   3  1  2.71  25  15   6  1234  0.906
1991-92  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    67  3935  155   7  5  2.36  36  22   8  1651  0.914
1992-93  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    62  3595  192   5  2  3.20  31  25   5  1622  0.894
1993-94  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    68  3867  161   4  7  2.50  35  17  11  1795  0.918
1994-95  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    43  2566  127   3  1  2.97  17  20   6  1230  0.906
1995-96  Montreal Canadiens          NHL    22  1260   62   0  1  2.95  12   9   1   605  0.907
1995-96  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    39  2305  103   3  1  2.68  22  15   1  1027  0.909
1996-97  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    62  3698  143   3  7  2.32  38  15   7  1718  0.923
1997-98  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    65  3835  153   5  4  2.39  31  19  13  1825  0.916
1998-99  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    61  3648  139   4  5  2.29  32  19   8  1534  0.917
1999-00  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    63  3704  141   5  2  2.28  32  21   8  1640  0.914
2000-01  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    62  3585  132   5  4  2.21  40  13   7  1513  0.913
2001-02  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    63  3773  122   6  9  1.94  32  23   8  1629  0.925
2002-03  Colorado Avalanche          NHL    63  3769  137   3  5  2.18  35  15  13  1586  0.920

[edit] References

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